JP2002543285A - Method and apparatus for obtaining hydrogen - Google Patents

Abstract

  (57) [Summary] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for obtaining hydrogen by electrolysis, which are space-saving and hardly generate turbulence in an electrolytic fluid even during movement of the apparatus. In this method, a first electrolyte is provided inside a hollow microfiber, and the hollow microfiber arranges an anode and a cathode on a surface of a wall thereof with a thickness therebetween, and a second electrolyte is provided outside the hollow microfiber. Flow around the outer wall of the leverage hollow fiber and apply a voltage between the anode and cathode. The device also comprises a plurality of hollow microfibers stacked in a stack, anodes and cathodes provided on the inner and outer surfaces of the hollow microfibers, and ends of the hollow microfibers in a dimensionally stable manner. A frame bundled therein, wherein the frame is formed as an annular flange, wherein the hollow microfibers are provided irregularly in each of the planes parallel to each other, or the hollow microfibers are parallel. And the hollow microfibers of each plane are inclined by 15 ° with respect to the hollow microfibers of the adjacent plane.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and a device for obtaining hydrogen by electrolysis, in particular at atmospheric pressure or pressures up to 30 bar.

[0002] A known device for obtaining hydrogen by electrolysis, also known as an electrolytic cell, is made of a bipolar electrolytic cell. The bipolar film membrane of such an electrolytic cell has a cathode on one side and an anode on the other side separated by the thickness of the membrane. The volume of the electrolytic fluid is equal to each other on both sides of the membrane. When a voltage is applied to the electrodes,
Hydrogen is generated on the cathode side, and oxygen is generated on the anode side.

[0003] The use of electrolyzers is of particular interest in hydrogen vehicles, with the goal of producing the essential on-board fuel. However, the flat electrolytic cell in the state of the art has a large capacity and the built-in electrolytic cell also moves while the vehicle is running, so turbulence occurs in the electrolytic fluid, which is not suitable for the purpose of producing fuel for vehicles. It is. In addition, since the known electrolytic cell has a small thickness, it is necessary to stabilize the bipolar flat film in many places, which increases the production cost.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to specify a method which can be carried out specifically in a motor vehicle, requires only a small amount of space, and makes it possible to produce hydrogen by electrolysis. . It is a further object of the present invention to specify an apparatus for performing the method.

[0005] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 and an apparatus according to claim 8.

[0006] In the method of the present invention for producing hydrogen by electrolysis, a first electrolyte is provided inside a hollow microfiber, and an anode and a cathode are arranged on the surface of the hollow microfiber across a wall thereof. A bi-electrolyte is provided outside the hollow microfiber to flow around the outer wall of the hollow fiber and a voltage is applied between the anode and cathode.

With the electrolyte and electrode equipment of the present invention, very large reaction surfaces with small volumes can be achieved. Furthermore, when this equipment is used, for example, in an automobile, the equipment itself also moves, but during this time, turbulence of the electrolytic fluid does not occur at all or almost, and the practical application of this method can proceed without trouble. it can.

For the method of the present invention, the expression “flowing around” should be understood that the outer wall of the hollow microfiber is in contact with the electrolytic fluid. This method ensures optimal operation if essentially all of the outer surface of the hollow microfiber is in contact with the liquid electrolyte and the largest possible reactive surface is applicable. Here, it is preferable that the electrolytic fluid is continuously supplied so that the amount of the electrolyte present in and around the hollow microfibers is continuously maintained constant.

[0009] The production reaction product, in particular hydrogen, can be fed to a subsequent step for utilization or further processing. An example of a subsequent process is a fuel cell. Such fuel cells are increasingly used, for example, for generating individual electric currents in electric vehicles and for producing drinking water used in space stations and the like. The electrolysis method of the present invention can at least partially cover the fuel required for such a fuel cell. Known problems have been associated with the storage of hydrogen required for fuel cells, but the electrolysis method of the present invention has the advantage of avoiding or at least reducing hydrogen storage with such problems. Was done.

Depending on the field of application, the voltage supply required in the method according to the invention originates from various power sources. That is, the energy can be supplied by, for example, a photovoltaic element, an electric dynamo, or a solar cell. Furthermore, when the method of the invention is used in a motor vehicle, this energy can be supplied by a wind anemometer when the wind is blowing, an impeller drive or by partially recovering the braking power.

[0011] Hollow microfibers are treated as fibers used in the method of the present invention. Hollow microfibers are intended to be fibers whose equivalent outer diameters are in the range of one tenth of a micrometer to several millimeters. ing. In general, the term “nanofiber” refers to 1
It has been increasingly accepted as representing fibers having a diameter of less than 0 micrometers. In the context of the present invention, when using the term "hollow microfiber", this hollow microfiber can be produced by winding a thin film of the appropriate diameter, even if produced by conventional methods, for example by spinning. It should be understood that any of these may be made from capillary tubes or sprues.

The production of such hollow microfibers is described in EP-A-0 874 78 by the applicant.
8. Approximately 0.01 μm to 15 μm thin wall thickness and equivalent outer diameter of 0
. Such hollow microfibers as thin as 5 μm to 35 μm can be produced by spinning. Hollow microfibers have woven-like properties due to their small thickness and substantial outside diameter. That is, it can be bent very easily without breaking. According to the production method described in EP-A-0 874 788, hollow microfibers having extremely precise dimensions can be produced, and the increase or decrease in the thickness or the equivalent outer diameter at that time is within ± 6%. Accurate maintenance of the dimensions of the diameter and in particular of the thickness ensures that the method of the invention can proceed uniformly over the entire length of the hollow microfiber.

Alternatively, the hollow fibers required for the present invention are produced from flat, smooth or structured plastic films or bipolar films, which are wound into sprues or spiral capillaries. You can also. Especially from 0.28mm to 1
Hollow fibers having an equivalent outer diameter of 0 mm can be produced in this manner. In this regard, the expression "equivalent outer diameter" for capillaries made from films with three-dimensionality is:
It is understood to correspond to the diameter in the case of an outer peripheral surface area equal to the actual outer peripheral surface area of a capillary having three dimensions. In this regard, the method of winding the film into a sprue is similar to the method known from, for example, tobacco manufacture. Spools and spiral capillaries manufactured in this manner typically have a length of approximately 0.03 m to 3.00 m. On the other hand, for a spool used in the method of the invention for obtaining hydrogen by electrolysis, a length of about 0.5 m to 1.0 m is usually preferred. The length / diameter ratio is not particularly limited as long as it is appropriate and can be sensed. After the spools and spiral capillaries have been formed, they may be vitrified. After the film has been extruded with the electrode material, it may be further processed into spools or spiral capillaries. In this connection, in particular, the sol-gel method can also be used for film production.

As starting materials for hollow microfibers used in the method of the present invention, for example, carbon hollow nanofibers, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone, polymethylpentene (TPX), zirconium oxide, PTFE, Molecular proteins,
All membrane materials validated from bipolar membrane technology are available, such as mixed oxides, spinels and zeolites. Both surfaces of the membrane film and the polymer film are coated with an electrode material. For example, metals such as magnesium and aluminum, or spinel are suitable as electrode materials. The vacuum plasma spraying method itself clearly indicates that it is a very suitable method for manufacturing electrodes. In this spraying process, when the sprayed materials are injected into a plasma beam in powder form, these materials are melted and carried away and then deposited on the film as a coating. By optimizing the spray parameters, targeted coatings with electrode materials having different surface morphologies are possible, which can significantly reduce the voltage loss during water electrolysis. As an example, gas-milled NiAl
Vacuum plasma spraying of Mo powder can be mentioned. In this thermal spraying, a large amount of aluminum is leached out and dissolved to produce a surface portion having a high degree of three-dimensionality, so-called Raney nickel. Such highly steric surfaces are desirable for the efficient attachment and embedding of the catalyst in the method of the present invention. In addition to the vacuum plasma spraying, there is a known method called "anodic oxidation" as a method capable of producing the surface of such a highly three-dimensional or graphitized electrode material.

[0015] Suitable catalyst materials for the reaction used in the method of the invention, such as TiO ₂ , WO ₃ , V
O ₅ , Pt, Ru are deposited on the coated or graphitized surface of the electrode. The catalyst is deposited in cluster form. The catalyst must be in a porous state to allow ions to pass through the hollow microfiber membrane without interruption.

The use of three-dimensional, eg, pleated, corrugated, or wavy films in the manufacture of sprue and spiral capillaries further increases the surface available for sprue and spiral capillary reactions. . A further advantage of utilizing films having three-dimensionality is that the sprues and capillaries made from these films exhibit increased flexural strength.

In the method of the present invention, the density of the walls of the hollow fibers must be designed such that the ions of the electrolyte can diffuse through the walls but the resulting reaction products do not. This allows the reaction products to be carried away for further utilization, especially above all else.

It is preferable that the composition of the first electrolyte and the composition of the second electrolyte are the same. The electrolytic fluid may be, for example, one known as a suitable liquid electrolyte, and is not particularly limited. By making full use of the present invention, not only potassium hydroxide solution but also pure water can be used as the electrolyte. In this way, extremely pure water and KO
By using the H liquid, water can be completely decomposed into its composition, hydrogen and oxygen, so that the life of the hollow microfibers used can be assuredly prolonged. However, depending on the variant, it is also possible to use wastewater for one or both of the electrolytic fluids. However, this wastewater must be filtered in advance to eliminate the risk of clogging the hollow fibers. When the method of the present invention is used to obtain hydrogen or clean drinking water, for example, on a manned spacecraft, human urine there can be used as the electrolytic fluid. According to the method of the present invention, a hydrogen component and an oxygen component contained in urine are extracted as gases, and are synthesized into pure water in a subsequent synthesis process in, for example, a fuel cell unit. Of the components contained in wastewater and urine, those not regenerated by the method of the present invention will adhere to the inner and outer walls of the hollow microfibers with the passage of time, and must be washed away in the opposite direction. Must. For hollow microfibers, if urine passes through the fiber as the first and second electrolytes according to the method of the present invention, the life of the fiber will be approximately 20%, depending on the diameter of the fiber.
2,000 operation hours.

In practicing the method of the present invention, the first electrolyte is divided into a plurality of partial streams, and these partial streams are introduced into a plurality of hollow microfibers located on respective parallel planes, and the second Preferably, the electrolyte is provided to flow around the outer wall of the hollow microfiber located in each of the parallel planes. Thus, the hollow fibers used in the method of the present invention are located in a stack. However, the details will be described later in connection with the description of the apparatus of the present invention. Electrodes made from a single hollow microfiber are connected in parallel in this installation so that the same voltage can be applied to each fiber. In this way, the same amount of reaction product is obtained from each fiber. A feature of such operation of the method of the invention is that both simplicity and space saving are particularly high. The method of the present invention is preferably performed using equipment comprising approximately 100,000 to 900,000 hollow microfibers.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the process according to the invention is carried out at a temperature below about 100 ° C., in particular at a temperature below about 95 ° C. When using the method of the invention in a motor vehicle, a lower temperature is particularly advantageous since the risk of ignition of the product gas is reduced. Still further, the method of the present invention can be performed in this manner at atmospheric pressure, wherein
The equipment required to carry out the method of the invention can be simplified. By providing a catalyst on the electrode, the method of the present invention can be performed even at the low temperature described above. However, so-called "split capillaries" may be used instead of the catalyst. In this case, the treatment is performed using a molecular sieve.

Before introducing the first or second electrolyte into the interior of the hollow fiber or providing it around the outer wall of the hollow fiber, at least one of the electrolytes may
It is preferable to house it inside one or several hollow microfibers for storage. That is, these storage fibers function as a tank, and the liquid electrolyte is stored in this tank until it is used. Carbon hollow nanofiber, PTFE, PEEK, PEEKK
Indeed, TPX has demonstrated that it is a particularly suitable material for storage hollow fibers. These storage hollow fibers preferably have an equivalent outside diameter of about 3 to 25 μm, especially about 10 to 25 μm, and a wall thickness of about 1 to 3 μm. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the walls of the storage hollow fibers are semi-permeable or semi-permeable so that the liquid to be contained can also be contained inside the fiber walls. In this way, the storage capacity can be easily increased. By performing the above-mentioned storage for the electrolytic fluid required for the method of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the liquid from bouncing back and forth under a moving state, for example, during acceleration, and to reduce the risk of leakage. . Such storage is therefore particularly suitable for use in motor vehicles.

Apparatus suitable for carrying out the method of the invention comprises a plurality of hollow microfibers stacked in a stack, an anode and a cathode provided on the inner and outer surfaces of the hollow microfibers, A frame in which the ends of the microfibers are bundled in a dimensionally stable form. The hollow microfibers thus stacked in a stack are bundled into a frame to form a disk of the final thickness.

The form in which the hollow fibers are bundled in the frame is not particularly limited. For example, there is a method of joining the ends of the hollow fibers with the frame. The end of the hollow fiber is exposed on the outer periphery of the frame, so that the inside of the hollow fiber, that is, the inner diameter of the hollow fiber can be securely accessed.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the hollow microfibers are arranged parallel to each other inside the stack, and the frame is rectangular or square in shape. Thus, in this case, the length of all hollow microfibers in the stack will be essentially the same.

According to another embodiment, the frame is made as an annular flange and the hollow microfibers are maintained in an irregular stack. The advantage of this arrangement is that the production takes only a little time and the scrap rate is very low.

According to yet another embodiment, the frame is made as an annular flange and hollow microfibers are arranged in each of parallel planes, wherein the hollow microfibers located in each plane are adjacent. With respect to the plane hollow microfibers, the inclination is repeated at 15 ° and returns to 15 ° on the next surface, and the center and direction of the inclination is reversed at 15 ° and then returns on the next surface. Here, the hollow microfibers in one plane are parallel to each other. The advantage of this variation is as follows. In this modification, the open end of the hollow space portion of the hollow microfiber is not exposed on the entire outer periphery outside the annular flange. In other words, the two types of 15 ° inclinations at the endmost fibers create a fiber blank region with a corresponding apex angle of 150 °, and the flange side is cut off. A similar notched flange side is created on the opposite end fiber, which means that these opposing notched sides do not have any open ends of the hollow fibers. The side without the open end is used to provide space for connecting electrodes located on the wall surface of the hollow fiber, for example.

[0027] To prevent damage, the hollow microfibers of the stack may be provided with a protective fabric. Preferably, the protective fabric is attached to the inner edge of the frame and extends to cover the entire exposed surface of the hollow microfibers in the frame. Preferably, such a protective fabric is also provided on both the top and bottom sides of the frame. The protective fabric can then be made, for example, as spun fabric, plastic gauze or other suitable material.

The equivalent outer diameter of the hollow microfiber of the device of the present invention is approximately 1 μm to 1000 μm,
In particular, it is about 50 μm to 280 μm. Hollow fibers of such a size are easy to arrange in a stack and easy to handle. In addition, the surface / volume ratio is very good.

Within the scope of the present invention, such hollow microfibers may further comprise approximately 0.0
Those having a thickness of 1 μm to 15 μm are particularly used. In such a kind of hollow microfiber, appropriate stability is ensured by the structural shape, and therefore, unlike the flat thin bipolar film according to the state of the art, it is necessary to stabilize it despite its thin thickness. No support is required.

In order to create a tank containing the electrolytic fluid, the apparatus comprises a hollow microfiber having one end connected to one end of each hollow microfiber of the first stack. It is preferable to further have a stack. In this case, the electrolytic fluid may be contained in a stack of storage hollow fibers until used in the method of the invention. Stack of hollow fibers for reaction, for example carbon nanofiber, PTFE,
A stack of storage hollow fibers made from PEEKK, TPX, etc., is preferably arranged as a fiber layer stacked in a stack. The connection of the two stacks to each other can be done, for example, by means of a simple tube or hose connection, so that any liquid stored inside the wall, together with the liquid stored inside the hollow fiber, It also leads to the hollow space part and / or the outer space part of the hollow fiber required for the reaction. A valve is incorporated in the hose or tube connection to prevent the electrolyte fluid from flowing back into the storage hollow fiber stack. Supply regulator is 2
Preferably, it is connected between two staples to control the supply of electrolytic fluid from the stack of stored hollow fibers to the stack of hollow fibers required for the reaction. In this way, when the electrolytic fluid is consumed in the method of the present invention, the electrolytic fluid is continuously replenished. The anode consumes 8 to 10 L of water to take up 5 kWh of energy.

The various stacks can be interconnected, framed and stacked. The hollow microfibers of the additional storage stack are constructed so that the electrolytic fluid can be stored both in the hollow space inside the fibers and in the walls of the fibers, achieving the largest possible storage capacity. Is preferred. Also, the storage hollow fiber frame fits in a closed container, in which the electrolytic fluid is placed inside the hollow space part, i.e. the inner diameter part of the fiber, and possibly also in the fiber wall, and It is practical if it can be stored outside the fiber. Due to the small size of the middle part between the fibers, the stored liquid does not cause excessive back and forth bounce, even in the outer space of the fibers.

According to a preferred embodiment, the device has a storage medium in the form of a storage of accumulated material, has a storage for the produced hydrogen gas and / or has a molecular sieve, It is designed to store oxygen. This ensures that the produced gas can be stored until it is used.

The present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1a and 1b, a hollow fiber suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention is shown as a whole. Hollow microfibers are semi-permeable. That is, gaseous reaction products are still impermeable, but protons produced during electrolysis are permeable. These hollow fibers can be produced by spinning or by extruding the film and subsequently winding or twisting the film to form a capillary. Sulfonation, such as in a sulfonic acid bath, can increase the proton conductivity of fibers and films used to make capillaries. Hollow microfibers provide two electrodes separated by a thickness on the surface of the wall. In the case of FIG. 1, the anode 2 is outside and the cathode 3 is inside. The electrodes can be made, for example, from carbon paper. In this embodiment, the carbon paper is applied to the membrane foil and then rolled or twisted. Another way to make electrodes is, for example,
There is a method of anodizing a metal such as aluminum on a film to metallize the film. The electrode may be coated on its outer surface with a catalyst, each made as a spun fiber.

FIG. 1 c schematically shows the arrangement of hollow microfibers in the frame 4. In this frame, the ends of the hollow microfibers are securely connected, for example by joining. For the sake of simplicity, only four hollow microfibers are shown, and they are enlarged to show a large space between the fibers. In effect, the hollow microfibers are tightly packed and stacked in a stack perpendicular to the plane of the drawing over the entire height of the frame. The frame 4 preferably has a rectangular or square shape, while the hollow microfibers 1 are parallel to each other.

Another arrangement of hollow fiber stacks is shown in FIG. In this case, the frame is made as an annular flange, in which the hollow microfibers are bundled in a dimensionally stable manner. The arrangement of the hollow microfibers is schematically indicated by solid lines in this figure. The ends of the hollow microfibers themselves extend to the outer edge of the frame 4. The individual layers of hollow microfibers are
Incline by 5 °, return by 15 ° on the next surface, and reverse the center and direction of the tilt by 15 on the next surface
° It repeats tilting and returning. Therefore, the two types of 15 ° inclinations at the endmost fibers create a fiber blank area, and the flange side is cut off. A similar notched flange side is created at the opposite end of the fiber, these opposing notched sides are flat and no open ends of the hollow fiber are exposed. Thus, these notched flange sides 5 have room for conducting electrical connections to the electrodes and connecting them to a voltage source.

FIGS. 3 a to 3 c show a frame 4 in the form of an annular flange, which corresponds to the embodiment of FIG. The protective fabric 6 is fixed to the upper surface side and the bottom surface side of the frame 4 so as to cover a limited circular surface of the frame. The purpose of this protective fabric 6 is to prevent damage to the hollow microfibers attached to the frame. Open ends 7 of the hollow fibers open outwardly on the lateral edge surface of the frame, located between the two notched flange ends 5 (for clarity of illustration). Only some of the hollow microfibers are shown, and in an enlarged manner). An example of such a frame size will be described below. Inside diameter Di 9cm Outside diameter Do 11.2cm Distance between two flange ends 5 a 10.5mm Thickness d 0.3cm

Depending on the number and diameter of the enclosed hollow microfibers, a free surface of 3 m ² to 6 m ² is achieved in the hollow fibers. This means that large reaction surfaces can be applied even in very small spaces.

The size and shape of the frame are not limited to the above, and other sizes and shapes are of course possible. As far as the size is concerned, it clearly indicates that the deviation from the above data as an individual size is in the range of ± 50%. Fig. 3b
Since the device of the present invention is constructed as a flat disk in cross-section, as best shown in Fig. 5, several such devices can also be stacked in a stack to increase the hydrogen yield. .

When performing the method of the present invention under pressure, the individual stacks will be placed in suitable pressure housings. Such housings are known in the state of the art and need not be described in detail here.

4a and 4b show a frame 4 of the device according to the invention. This frame is provided with terminals 8 and 9 for both electrodes. The frame 4 itself is made of a dielectric material. According to the equipment shown in FIG. 4a, the hollow microfiber electrodes contained in the frame 4 can be connected in series by stacking several frames in a stack.

FIG. 4b shows the cross section of the frame 4 of FIG. 4a, in which only one hollow microfiber 2 extending to the frame 4 is shown for the sake of clarity. On the outer surface of the hollow microfiber 1, one of the two electrodes made of hollow fiber 10
Which can be used as anode or cathode. Hollow microfiber 1
Are directly in contact with corresponding terminals 9 located on the outer periphery of the frame. At the other electrode (not shown) of the hollow fiber, on the inner surface of the hollow microfiber 1, the lead from the frame 4 extends to another terminal 8 of the frame.

If the cathode is on the inner surface of the hollow microfiber 1, the hydrogen of the electrolysis method of the invention is generated on the outer surface of the fiber, where it forms the anode. In this case, the anode contact is made directly to the housing.

[0044] Hollow microfibers designed for storage may likewise be arranged in a similarly constructed frame. However, no electrical leads are required.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1a is a longitudinal sectional view of a hollow fiber used in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 1b is a cross-sectional view of the hollow fiber of FIG. 1a.

FIG. 1c is a schematic illustration of a stack of hollow fibers.

FIG. 2 is another embodiment of a stack of hollow fibers.

FIG. 3a is the embodiment of FIG. However, it has a protective fabric.

FIG. 3b is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 3a.

FIG. 3c is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 3a.

FIG. 4a is a schematic view of a frame without hollow microfibers, specifically showing conductive connections to electrodes.

FIG. 4b is a sectional elevation view of FIG. 3a.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hollow micro fiber 2 Anode 3 Cathode 4 Frame 5 Notch flange side 6 Protective fabric 7 Open end 8 Terminal 9 Terminal 10 Electrode

[Procedural Amendment] Submission of translation of Article 34 Amendment

[Submission date] May 25, 2001 (2001.5.25)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Contents of correction]

[Claims]

13. The device according to claim 8, comprising a molecular sieve for storing the produced oxygen.

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] November 29, 2001 (2001.11.29)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claim 8

[Correction method] Change

[Contents of correction]

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0042

[Correction method] Change

[Contents of correction]

FIG. 4b shows the cross section of the frame 4 of FIG. 4a, in which only one hollow microfiber 1 extending to the frame 4 is shown for the sake of clarity. On the outer surface of the hollow microfiber 1, one of the two electrodes made of hollow fiber 10
Which can be used as anode or cathode. Hollow microfiber 1
Are directly in contact with corresponding terminals 9 located on the outer periphery of the frame. At the other electrode (not shown) of the hollow fiber, on the inner surface of the hollow microfiber 1, the lead from the frame 4 extends to another terminal 8 of the frame.

[Procedure amendment 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Fig. 4b

[Correction method] Change

[Contents of correction]

FIG. 4b is an elevational sectional view of FIG. 4a .

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (81) Designated country EP (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE ), OA (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG), AP (GH, GM, KE, LS, MW, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW), EA (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), AE, AG, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, CA, CH, CN, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DZ, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR , HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VN, YU, ZA , ZW

Claims (16)

[Claims] In a method for obtaining hydrogen by electrolysis, a first electrolyte is provided inside a hollow microfiber (1), and an anode (2) and a cathode (3) are provided on the surface of the hollow microfiber via a wall thereof. And the second electrolyte is replaced with hollow microfibers (1).
) To flow around the outer wall of the hollow fiber and applying a voltage between the anode (2) and the cathode (3). 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrolytes have essentially the same composition. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrolytes is pre-filtered wastewater. 4. Dividing the first electrolyte into a plurality of partial streams and introducing these partial streams into a plurality of hollow microfibers (1) located in respective parallel planes,
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrolyte is provided to flow around the outer wall of hollow microfibers (1) located in each of the parallel planes. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is carried out at a temperature substantially lower than 100 ° C. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the method is performed at a temperature substantially lower than 95 ° C. 7. Prior to introducing the first or second electrolyte into one or more hollow microfibers, or providing the first or second electrolyte around the outer wall of the hollow microfibers, at least one of the electrolytes is used. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is housed inside one or several hollow microfibers. 8. An apparatus for obtaining hydrogen by electrolysis, comprising a plurality of hollow microfibers (1) stacked in a stack, and an anode (2) provided on an inner surface and an outer surface of the hollow microfibers (1). And the frame (4) in which the ends of the cathode (3) and the hollow microfiber (1) are bundled in a dimensionally stable form
An apparatus comprising: 9. The frame (4) is characterized in that the hollow microfibers (1) are arranged parallel to each other inside the stack and the frame (4) is rectangular or square in shape.
An apparatus according to claim 8. 10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the frame is constructed as an annular flange, wherein the hollow microfibers (1) are arranged irregularly in each of the planes parallel to one another. apparatus. 11. The frame (4) is made as an annular flange, wherein:
The hollow microfibers (1) are provided in each of parallel planes, and the hollow microfibers located in each plane are inclined by 15 ° with respect to the hollow microfibers in the adjacent plane. Item 10. The apparatus according to Item 8. 12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hollow microfibers (1) are substantially from 1 μm to 1000 μm.
Device according to one of the claims 8 to 11, characterized in that it has an equivalent outer diameter of μm, in particular substantially between 50 μm and 280 μm. 13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hollow microfibers (1) are substantially from 0.01 μm to 1 μm.
Device according to one of the claims 8 to 12, characterized in that it has a wall thickness of 5 μm. 14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising stacks of hollow microfibers, wherein the ends of these hollow microfibers are connected to one of the ends of each hollow microfiber of the first stack. Apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 13. 15. The device according to claim 8, comprising a storage medium in the form of a storage of the stored material, for storing the produced hydrogen gas. 16. The device according to claim 8, comprising a molecular sieve for storing the produced oxygen.